The Competition: Gasoline Powered Bikes
- Thread starter calvin
- Start date
Shea N Encinitas
Active Member
Pollution, noise, safety, etc. I would just step up to a motorcycle in that case, but ironically I don't trust myself with too many horses. A fast-ish e-bike is the happy middle for me. -S
biknut
Active Member
The price does make them pretty popular. Here in Dallas I'm lucky to be able to say I've run across about an equal number of gas bikes as eBikes, but the eBikes I've seen at large have taken a lot less time to find. Roughly about 8 of each. But it took 4 years to run across the gas bikes, and only 1 year to for the eBikes.
biknut
Active Member
I think from now on we're slowly going to be seeing the waning of the gas bikes, and the rise of the eBikes. eBikes have a lot more going for them than the gas kit bikes. Since buying my eBike I hardly ever ride mine anymore. On the rare occasions when I do I can't help thinking what a poc it is compared to me eBike.
David Herbert
New Member
I've seen Several E-bikes on the bike paths of Perth Australia, of which three have been mine. But I've seen only one gasoline bicycles. They are universally hated by MAMILs. Even I hate them and I owned gasoline engine motor cycles for forty years. I hate gasoline engined pushbikes because they are loud, in your face gas guzzlers and the greenies will use complaints against them to shut down all assisted pushbikes.
I have to admit that in my early teenaged years I'd have killed my granny for a gasoline motor on my pushbike. A gasoline powered pushbike was the coolest set of wheels a 14 year old boy could ride.
(MAMIL is a middle-aged man in lycra)
I have to admit that in my early teenaged years I'd have killed my granny for a gasoline motor on my pushbike. A gasoline powered pushbike was the coolest set of wheels a 14 year old boy could ride.
(MAMIL is a middle-aged man in lycra)
George S.
Well-Known Member
MAMIL. That's good. I like my road bike, but I tend to wear jeans. I guess I'm not even middle aged anymore. Yuck. Anyway, we rode mini-bikes in the 60's. I knew a couple of guys who could take the little gas engines apart in their sleep. I keep hoping the same kind of tinkerer/scrounger spirit will show up in ebikes.
This is an interesting design and a Honda 4 stroke:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-GX35-...005&rk=2&rkt=6&mehot=pp&sd=171636719392&rt=nc
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/maintenance/1276826
This is an interesting design and a Honda 4 stroke:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-GX35-...005&rk=2&rkt=6&mehot=pp&sd=171636719392&rt=nc
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/maintenance/1276826
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biknut
Active Member
One day I was driving in my work truck when I happened upon this guy riding his bike home from work. I made a u turn and tracked him down. He told me he commutes to work on this bike, and it would go 30 mph, and gets 100 mpg. I've seen him once or twice more riding his bike.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Ann M.
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I've gotten calls almost weekly from guys with gas powered bikes that are broken! Torn up rear wheels or cracked frames. Not only are they incredibly noisy, stinky and polluting; most are illegal oversized 70cc motors that a bike frame can't handle. Seems a few local importers pull the motor size sticker off so the cops won't bust the bike rider for not having a motorcycle endorsement. Not a quality product at all.
At least here in the US, I've seen people offer EBike & EScooter repair on Craigslist mixed in with the bike listings. Sometimes students in colleges & electronics schools around the Austin area contacted our shop about internships or side jobs--the tinkerers are out there.
At least here in the US, I've seen people offer EBike & EScooter repair on Craigslist mixed in with the bike listings. Sometimes students in colleges & electronics schools around the Austin area contacted our shop about internships or side jobs--the tinkerers are out there.
I played with one of these 2-cycle gas kits back in the 90's; t'was real garbage, and annoying/embarrassing as hell to ride due to the noise and smoke. And the friction drive consists of a small roller that is a joke in the rain and does indeed chew through tires. I think I rode it twice. IMO it's a cop magnet.
OTOH I have a 2005 Tidalforce SX with about 15,000 silent, smokeless miles that has given me a ton of exercise and pleasure. Upgraded years ago to a large 32Ah lithium pack that provides about 1200W of assist on the hills with a 1-2 hour range. Have never been challenged by the police despite the fact that NY laws remains very unfriendly toward e-bikes. I ride quiet country roads almost exclusively and can do 35-mile pleasure trips in under two hours saddle time.
OTOH I have a 2005 Tidalforce SX with about 15,000 silent, smokeless miles that has given me a ton of exercise and pleasure. Upgraded years ago to a large 32Ah lithium pack that provides about 1200W of assist on the hills with a 1-2 hour range. Have never been challenged by the police despite the fact that NY laws remains very unfriendly toward e-bikes. I ride quiet country roads almost exclusively and can do 35-mile pleasure trips in under two hours saddle time.
wa5
Well-Known Member
I've had two Petrol (or Gasoline for you Yanks 
). powered bikes, The first was a swap meet special bought for $50. it had a large two stroke engine that was on a pivot. You pulled and locked up a lever near your left leg, as the lever came up, the engine (with a knurled direct drive extension) went down onto the top of the tyre. no clutch .. just down to idle when you wanted to stop and stall it on the brake.. and roll start it to get going.. not real sophisticated and never tried it in the city.. but it was good for around 25 miles per hour.. and very handy for a while..
I replaced it with a "Rotary Cycle" another 2 stroke engined bike.. a straight copy of the Sachs they ran a 100:1 fuel / oil mix, wouldn't call it fumey at all. and super quiet.. it was the closest thing to an "in hub" wheel you could get.. the engine sitting under the left side of the frame.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
you should be able to see what it looks like in the link. the engine and unique rear wheel are integrated.. The only issue it ever had was the back wheel would come out of true.. as it was cast alloy, it had to be replaced..
the bike was a very good thing.. around one litre (one quart) of fuel would take me around 100km (60 miles) the one great advantage that petrol has over electric in my opinion.. it was limited to 200watts output as it the law in NSW Australia... and was good for just under 30 kph ...
The state government has since outlawed all petrol powered bikes because of the number of extremely powerful kits coming from China.. so even though mine complied with the law.. its still illegal.
after the Rotary Cycle I bought a used Chinese Electric scooter 24 volt with two separate sets of SLA batteries. You may laugh, but for what it was, it was very good, a solid well built machine.. (I'm pretty heavy .. around 280 pounds) and it was the one bike that never had an issue with buckled rims.. range wasn't fantastic however.. again, even though it conformed to every rule, our state government banned them, "because they look too much like a motorcycle" You don't know how good you have it in the states..
). powered bikes, The first was a swap meet special bought for $50. it had a large two stroke engine that was on a pivot. You pulled and locked up a lever near your left leg, as the lever came up, the engine (with a knurled direct drive extension) went down onto the top of the tyre. no clutch .. just down to idle when you wanted to stop and stall it on the brake.. and roll start it to get going.. not real sophisticated and never tried it in the city.. but it was good for around 25 miles per hour.. and very handy for a while.. I replaced it with a "Rotary Cycle" another 2 stroke engined bike.. a straight copy of the Sachs they ran a 100:1 fuel / oil mix, wouldn't call it fumey at all. and super quiet.. it was the closest thing to an "in hub" wheel you could get.. the engine sitting under the left side of the frame.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
you should be able to see what it looks like in the link. the engine and unique rear wheel are integrated.. The only issue it ever had was the back wheel would come out of true.. as it was cast alloy, it had to be replaced..
the bike was a very good thing.. around one litre (one quart) of fuel would take me around 100km (60 miles) the one great advantage that petrol has over electric in my opinion.. it was limited to 200watts output as it the law in NSW Australia... and was good for just under 30 kph ...
The state government has since outlawed all petrol powered bikes because of the number of extremely powerful kits coming from China.. so even though mine complied with the law.. its still illegal.
after the Rotary Cycle I bought a used Chinese Electric scooter 24 volt with two separate sets of SLA batteries. You may laugh, but for what it was, it was very good, a solid well built machine.. (I'm pretty heavy .. around 280 pounds) and it was the one bike that never had an issue with buckled rims.. range wasn't fantastic however.. again, even though it conformed to every rule, our state government banned them, "because they look too much like a motorcycle" You don't know how good you have it in the states..
Ann M.
Well-Known Member
Actually @biknut, gas powered kits over 48 or 49CC are not legal unless coming from a licensed motorcycle dealer. A couple of shops in Austin were shut down for selling the bigger 79cc+ kits. They tear up the rear wheel and frame. Folks are picking up the bigger kits off the internet or rouge dealers. You are right about the Ebike part, we don't get hassled too much except on some park trails and most of that can be avoided by being a courteous rider. Texas moped laws changed a few years ago and it put a real damper on the 30-40mph escooters--riders had to have a motorcycle endorsement on a valid driver's license and had to take a motorcycle driving course to get the class M license. Another $200 bucks on top of the $3K for the scooter before you're even on the road!
J.R.
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Piedmont Highlands
I don't see many motor powered bicycles where I live of any type. In the past year I've only seen about a half dozen and half of those were gas powered. Gas powered bicycles aren't legal where I live. Still, I won't P on people's need for reasonably priced transportation and I'm not against gas powered bikes, I've ridden Harley's my whole life and still do. I've seen two of the three gas powered bicycles up close more than once and they were both rat-bikes... nasty. Leaving an office building one day there was one in the elevator lobby leaking gasoline into the carpet, you could smell it for a week! They sound like a garden trimmer, draw a lot of unwanted attention and when you find them in the lobby of your building is there any wonder people aren't happy to see them.
calvin
Active Member
Looks like one of the slicker gasoline set ups. I think that gasoline power is a legit option for someone who just wants transportation
to and from. I have read where gasoline (petrol) has ten times the energy density of a lithium battery. That, and price is what make this type of bike attractive. In your video it appears that you are moving along at about 20mph. Cool. Next time I run into a gasoline bike, I'll challenge them to a race!
wa5
Well-Known Member
Not sure this needs its own thread, but just wondered how many people are aware of Voitures Sans Permis.. / Carraiges without a licence.. not an E bike, not even a petrol powered bike.. but not quite a car..
as the law stands in France and some other parts of Europe you can ride a small scooter, quad or small car without having to posess a drivers licence. they can carry a maximum of two persons and run to 45kph, I believe there is a hp restriction . seems to be about 5 horsepower though I cant really make a lot of sense of how they measure it...
I believe Renault has an electric car but most run small Diesels. though Mega makes electric trucks.. small electric trucks... very small.
here's a video of a Ligier being made (the founder of this company used to compete in F1)..
and a link to Mega and their electric truck
http://www.mega-vehicles.com/
Heres a link to the Renault Twizy electric vehicle.. the least powerful version qualifies as a VSP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy
I find alternate types of transport interesting. Hope its ok to post this here, I thought some of you might get a kick from it as well.
If I ever go to France, I'd love to try one of these..
as the law stands in France and some other parts of Europe you can ride a small scooter, quad or small car without having to posess a drivers licence. they can carry a maximum of two persons and run to 45kph, I believe there is a hp restriction . seems to be about 5 horsepower though I cant really make a lot of sense of how they measure it...
I believe Renault has an electric car but most run small Diesels. though Mega makes electric trucks.. small electric trucks... very small.
here's a video of a Ligier being made (the founder of this company used to compete in F1)..
and a link to Mega and their electric truck
http://www.mega-vehicles.com/
Heres a link to the Renault Twizy electric vehicle.. the least powerful version qualifies as a VSP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy
I find alternate types of transport interesting. Hope its ok to post this here, I thought some of you might get a kick from it as well.
If I ever go to France, I'd love to try one of these..
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